-Chapter Seven-
Ginny changed into her pajamas as quickly as possible. She fell into bed and wiped away the tears angrily, sick of having cried so much in the past week.
'Oh Merlin… Ron was so angry with me. What have I done?' thought Ginny, as tears spilling from her eyes uncontrollably. Why was it that she was so happy with Draco yet so discontent with everything else in her life?
She focused her thoughts onto Draco, and immediately her troubles seemed to dissolve, as she remembered the nice things he said. And the way he made her feel. Soon Ginny's tears stopped falling and she was beginning to smile to herself. Reminiscing about Draco usually made her feel better.
Just thinking back, at the way he held her, the way he kissed her, the way he loved her made Ginny feel so warm and fuzzy inside, she had to let out a giggle. But she suppressed it as soon as possible since she didn't want to wake up her house mates.
Mari could sure hold a grudge if she was woken up early.
Sighing, Ginny turned onto her side to face utter darkness. Now that the happy thoughts of Draco had dissipated, Ron's disappointment came crashing back down onto Ginny again. This time, fueled with the energy from Draco's love, Ginny held the tears back, and backed that up by closing her eyes and letting herself drift into sleep.
Hermione checked the glowing hands of her watch and slid out of her bed silently. Exiting the seventh year girl's dormitory, she entered the boy's. Locating Ron's four post bed which was second from the window, Hermione slipped into it.
She was welcomed with a warm embrace from Ron.
Hermione however, could feel Ron's tensed muscles. "Is everything okay?" whispered Hermione, whilst stroking Ron's red hair.
Ron paused for a moment, before shaking his head. He softly grabbed Hermione's hands and whispered back "Ginny's seeing Malfoy," in a shattered tone.
Hermione was only slightly surprised. From the way Malfoy kept staring at Ginny, and vice versa, she knew something was going on. "What do you think is happening with them too, apart from the obvious attraction?"
"I don't know," moaned Ron softly, burying himself deeper into his pillow and Hermione's neck. "He might have put a spell on her, or tricked her in some way. What does that filthy bastard want with Ginny anyway? I'm so worried, so angry."
"Have you spoken to Ginny about it?"
"Yes. She hasn't denied it. And lately she's been really happy. This is so wrong, Malfoy? He's the enemy! He would kill her!" Hermione only sighed and snuggled up to Ron closer than physically possible.
"I don't know… you should talk to Ginny about it. Whatever you do, don't go smashing into Malfoy. Lord. We don't need any more trouble this year," was all Hermione said before she fell asleep in Ron's arms.
It was 8 o'clock in the morning as Draco was leaving the Slytherin common room when his Quidditch team's new captain Franko Harley pushed against his shoulder roughly.
"Hey, watch it," growled Draco.
"Training, tonight after dinner," replied Harley just as roughly.
Draco sighed and trailed Harley out of the room. As he reached the message board right outside of the great hall, he paused and scanned the Quidditch list.
"1st match of the season: Gryffindor vs Slytherin" it read. Draco sighed again. It was so typical for the two most conflicting houses to open up the Hogwarts Quidditch season.
Suddenly a thought struck Draco. 'Ginny's the highest point scoring chaser on the Gryffindor team.' Knowing that Ginny would be up in the air with him, even though they weren't on the same team, made Draco start looking forward to the match which was to be held in a fortnight.
Ron was walking with his hands in his pockets dejectedly to breakfast when the words "QUIDDITCH UPDATES!" caught his eye. He quickly shuffled towards the message board and read the message rapidly.
"Yes, a match against Slytherin!" thought Ron aloud. His distraught thoughts of his sister's personal life all dissolved and were replaced with a handsome red quaffle, dark ominous bludgers and the golden, elusive snitch.
With a head suddenly booming with game plans, Ron, dazedly walked into the great hall, heading straight for Harry to announce his good news.
Sunlight filtered through the cracks of the curtains on Ginny's for poster bed, pricking points through Ginny's closed eyes. Slowly but surely, her body started waking up, and so did Ginny.
Yawning, she rubbed her eyes and squirmed into her warm sheets even further. Checking her watch, Ginny swore profusely as the time read 8:45 AM.
Classes were to start in fifteen minutes and Ginny was still in bed. She began rushing around, throwing clothes everywhere, especially the ones she needed to wear.
Five minutes later, Ginny jammed a toothbrush into her mouth, hitting her gums, causing an ulcer.
A minute after that, Ginny could be found throwing books, quills and parchment into a old bag and running out the door, all the while tearing into an emergency apple she left on her bedside table… it was on the table mostly because it was a pretty apple.
As Ginny rushed through the many corridors of the school to her first class, she bumped into Ron.
"Ron, I, uh," began Ginny tentatively. But Ron was distracted.
"Ginny! Just the girl I've been looking for! Quidditch season has started! And I want to see you at training tomorrow evening, right after dinner. Our first match is against Slytherin, I want everyone to be on the ball!" said Ron, and then he disappeared around the corner with a bounce in his step.
Ginny was left standing in the corridor, quite dazed, at the fact that Ron seemed to have completely forgotten about her and Draco. "Quidditch freak," muttered Ginny under her breath, though very glad Ron seemed to have forgotten about her predicament. Even if it was just for the moment.
"Ron's not a quidditch freak, he's just a quidditch enthusiast like every other self respecting wizard," came a voice from behind Ginny.
"Ron's not a quidditch freak, he's just a quidditch enthusiast like every other self respecting wizard," were the words uttered from Draco's lips when he heard Ginny talk to herself.
Ginny seemed to swirl around in slow motion. Her too-big black robes flowed around her whilst she turned and her loose, untied hair rippled around her beautiful face.
Draco was left standing for quite a few moments with his mouth slightly open and eyes wide.
"Draco," came Ginny's soft voice. That combined with the sensation of her slender arms wrapping around his waist soon brought Draco back to reality.
"Hey you," murmured Draco into Ginny's ear softly, swaying her around gently. "I didn't see you at breakfast this morning. Is everything okay?"
Ginny tensed up as she remembered what had happened the previous night with her brother. "Ginny?" queried Draco in a concerned voice.
"Um, things aren't so great actually. I'll see you tonight and tell you," replied Ginny in a subdued manner.
"I can't, I've got training tonight. Quidditch season is back on," replied Draco with remorse in his voice. "But look, I can skip it and see you tonight—"
"No," Ginny cut Draco off. "No don't skip it. Well I can't see you tomorrow night either, I've got training myself. I guess I won't get much chance to see you for the next few days."
"It's really bugging you, isn't it? I'll make time to see you. I promise," insisted Draco,
and he silenced Ginny's protests with a kiss.
The pair departed shortly afterwards, but Draco couldn't help but rush back to put a tender kiss on Ginny's cheek. "I can't help myself!" was all Draco said with a goofy smile before he strode away in the opposite direction.
Needless to say, Ginny was left with her own goofy smile for the rest of the day.
Draco sighed as he put is fork down on his plate. Glancing at his watch, he decided to leave and get ready for quidditch training which was coming up in about half an hour.
But before he stood up, he cast a long, loving gaze in Ginny's direction. She was sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table, chatting animatedly to Colin, looking gorgeous and carefree.
Draco then left the great hall for his dorm, but his gaze was not unnoticed by Franko Harley.
'Well, seems as if Malfoy has a thing for the littlest Weasel,' pondered Franko to himself. 'Lets see what we can do about that…' then Frank himself departed the hall to get ready for quidditch.
"Hey Gin, Luna and I are going to go to the library to study. Do you want to come? Ah man, I can't believe she said yes when I asked her out," said Colin dreamily to Ginny.
"Haha, I told you so Colin. She likes you too. It was so obvious. And the study thing, I think I will take you up on that offer. But I don't want to intrude on you two's private time," said Ginny, with a knowing smile on her face.
"Ginerva Stephanie Weasley!" replied Colin in a shocked and reproaching tone. "I'm saving that for the bedroom," he finished with a sly wink. This only made Ginny giggle and slap him in the head.
"Okay, well I'm just going to go to my dorm to grab my gear. I'll see you soon." Colin merely nodded at Ginny and continued on with his dinner.
As Ginny exited the room, her eyes searched for Draco at the Slytherin table, but he was absent. Feeling the pang of disappointment, Ginny continued on to her dorm.
For what seemed like the seventieth time, Draco leant down on his broom and sped after the little snitch in very low visibility.
'Fuck Harley! Bastard, for making me train so hard.' Draco thought viciously. He quickly snatched the bothersome snitch and did a sharp turn back to Harley and the rest of the team who was waiting in the middle of field.
Checking the watch, Draco noted it was already 9 o'clock. "Fucking hell!" swore Draco under his breath as he neared Harley and the rest. "Can I go now?" demanded Draco, shoving the snitch into Harley's outstretched hand.
"Tsk tsk, Malfoy. You better keep that temper in check if you want to stay on the team. And since you're such an important team member, I want you to do an extra fifty laps around the oval. I want you to cover loops, feints, corkscrews and glide in and out of the goal posts as fast as you can," said Franko with a sneer.
Draco only just managed to hold in an angry groan. As tired as he was, he knew that if he disobeyed Harley's commands, he would be off the team.
And that would just be one more loss he wouldn't be able to cope with. So, Draco got back on his broom and sped off around the perimeter, all the while focusing on the counting of the laps, just so he could block out all other emotions.
Franko ended up staying only to watch ten laps from Draco, then he gave him a meaningful glare and departed with the rest of the team members.
Ginny readjusted her bag and slinked around a corner which then lead to the doors that opened up to the quidditch stadium. She heard the loud bragging voices of the Slytherin quidditch team, and she quickly darted into the shadows of a looming pillar.
After the rumbling guys had passed, Ginny turned around to face the pillar and was given the biggest fright when she came face to face to a stone snake which was posed in an attacking position. Fangs showing, tongue almost flicking in a lifelike way and stone devious eyes.
Gasping, Ginny clutched at her chest and closed her eyes. Memories of that horrible dream flooding back to fill her senses. Ginny swore she could taste the fright, the horrible metallic taste of pure fear.
Then she realized she had bit her lip in haste. The taste of her own blood rolling onto her tongue and teeth sent shivers up Ginny's spine. Deciding to leave the freaky pillar in a hurry, Ginny padded away deftly, shaking slightly all the way.
Soon, she reached her destination; the quidditch pitch.
It was a long shot, she wasn't sure if Draco would still be out there training, but she had the most irresistible urge to lay her eyes on him. The urge was invoked because of the two and half hours or so with Colin and Luna.
Whilst Ginny's two friends were showing her the utmost courtesy, they were completely wrapped up in each other. Ginny noticed the secret sideways look they gave each other, the close seating, the more than occasional brush of the fingers.
It was the way they only had eyes for each other and only noticed Ginny there because she said something, reminded her of Draco so bad.
So Ginny quickly completed her homework in general silence. She aced all the transfiguration homework, but again was given Draco pangs, because it was Draco who helped her out with transfig.
She left Luna and Colin wrapped up in each other and decided to search for Draco.
And here she was, standing at the edge of the pitch, her eyes focused on one green moving figure up in the air. Ginny cast a weary eye around the pitch, and found it completely empty.
The night was warm and Ginny decided to shed some of her clothing. She was so over come with the thought of Draco, her arms automatically slid off her bag and shook the robes off her. Now all Ginny was left in were a plain white singlet top and a too-small grey skirt which was compulsory uniform.
It was also a hand-me-down from Ginny's older cousin Fiona. Ginny then tucked her clothing and bag underneath a chair and walked slowly towards the centre of the field.
'Ugh… fifty laps, yes!' thought Draco wearily and triumphantly. Rain started fall lightly in the warm night air, and he was looking forward to a nice cold shower and a soft bed to fall into.
He was descending at a high speed when he noticed her; Ginny, standing out alone in the now heavier falling rain, wearing only a short grey skirt and a white singlet.
As Draco dropped another five meters, the rain started falling down in heavy droplets, in quick succession and drenching him to the skin. The rain was beginning to get chilly. But Merlin, how would Ginny feel, dressed in almost nothing.
Draco's feet touched the ground, and he got off his broom and dropped it to the ground. Ginny's back was facing him. He doubted she could see his landing. Her silhouette was slightly blurred from the heavily falling rain.
All he could hear was the rain, and all he could see was a blurred outline of pale legs, darker skirt, white shirt and beautiful smudged crimson hair.
All he could smell was the scent of rain, but he was dying for Ginny's. All he could taste; was the rainwater seeping into his lips, but he was living at that moment just for Ginny's.
All he could feel was the endless drumming of ignorant rainwater, instead he wanted Ginny's caring touch.
Eventually… he reached her, and he slid his strong and now eager arms around Ginny's waist gently. Ginny only relaxed in his embrace. Almost as if she knew he was coming.
"Ginny…" murmured Draco tenderly, plucking a few chords in Ginny's heart. "What are you doing out here in the rain?" Draco tightened his hold on Ginny.
"I just wanted to see you, so badly," said Ginny softly, turning around to face Draco. Leaning up into his ears so he could hear her over the deafening rain. Draco simply closed his eyes and held Ginny as tightly as he could to him without hurting her.
He could her heart beating against his chest, and it reminded Draco how lucky he was to have her. Simply holding her, out in the pouring rain, knowing she had come specifically to see her made Draco feel like he was flying.
And this flying was absolutely nothing compared to the fifty laps he had just done.
He stared down at Ginny's soaked red hair, and her strawberry pink lips. The moisture from her hair dripping over her nose, landing on her lips and then falling further downwards.
Draco couldn't help himself. He gently slid his fingers up her arms, over her collar-bones with a feather light touch, eventually reaching Ginny's slightly freckled chin. Tilting her head up slightly and looking deeply into Ginny's deep brown eyes, Draco then closed his own and kissed her ever so lovingly, out in the pouring rain… all alone.
Hi guys! I thought I'd just finally put in an author's note thingy. Anyway, I really, really do hope you are enjoying this fic, but judging from my reviews, I think you are:D I'd like to thank you all for reviewing so much, esp authors like Eve Granger, Madderthanhens, Draco's Little Vixen, missindependent1127, just to name a few. Trust me, the rest of you, you are not forgotten :D
Your reviews make me feel just as fuzzy as Draco/Ginny fics!
Anyways, this is just a lil note to let you know I exist :D… and that I'm trying to post as often as possible. It's just… sigh life calls. And it's being really mean and making me busy (
Anyways,
Thankyou all very much again. I love fanfiction, I really do :D
yourbeautifulnightmare
P.S If you're reading through my reviews, and see the psycho ones from some chick called scarlettHuntress, don't worry about it, she's my best friend. That's why she's always telling me to call her and stuff like that.
P.P.S Feel free to e-mail me about anything :D
P.P.P.S SORRY ABOUT ANY TYPOS! I'm always posting new chaps late at night, and my brain is like "screw you, I don't want to cooperate in an good editing manner."
P.P.P.P.S (sorry this is getting kind of annoying) I'm only guessing that Ron is Gryffindor quidditch capt... I haven't read HP in so long it kinda escapes me. Can't find time! Oh and you can make up whatever age Franko is. S'long as he's not some dinky first/second/third/fourth year.
